As summer fades, it's time to get your garden ready for winter

We still have a little more time to enjoy the lingering effects of summer, but preparing our gardens for winter is on the to-do list now.

Steph Tanguay is a West Island landscaper and owner of Concept72, which specializes in outdoor living. He has worked on thousands of gardens in his 30-year career. Stephen Scheunert is the owner of Pointe-Claire Nursery and Landscape, a thriving West Island enterprise. We asked them to tell us what needs to be done in the garden in fall.

Mulch, mulch, mulch

Mulch is any material that is spread or laid over the surface of the soil as a covering. It is used to retain moisture in the soil and to suppress weeds, and in fall keeps the ground from freezing tender perennials. Organic mulches also help improve soil fertility as they decompose.

Ryan Scheepstra of the Ontario landscaping company the Garden Guys mulches a new garden bed in Innisfil, Ont. When preparing your garden for winter, spread a thicker layer of mulch than you would in summer. (Photo: Miriam King / Postmedia Network)Miriam King /
Postmedia Network

You will have more success with your hydrangeas, roses and clematis next summer if you insulate them with mulch now, although all your plants and shrubs will benefit from this extra layer of protection. Spread a thicker layer than you would in the summertime — try about 10 centimetres — to help keep out the cold. Perennials that have been cut back will simply be covered by the mulch and will be happy to poke their stems through come spring.

While traditional mulch is available at garden stores this time of year, cardboard can also be used. It is, after all, a paper product made from trees, and while slowly decomposing and enriching the soil, it provides the earth with winter protection. Best of all, come spring it is easy to cut through the soggy remains, making for easy planting of new perennials and annuals.

Cut the cardboard into pieces and lay it around your plants and shrubs. Mulch and cardboard will both compost naturally and be absorbed into the ground.

Water

Scheunert says it is important to water shrubs throughout the fall and up until the ground freezes. Winter can be dry for plants. Be sure to stop watering at first frost.

“Watering evergreens in the fall is recommended, as they transpire through the winter,” he said. “If they have no water come spring, they can be damaged.”

The author in her garden. âIt is important to tie plants … that have been recently planted as they are more susceptible to the elements,â says landscaper Steph Tanguay. (Photo: Peter McCabe / Montreal Gazette)Peter McCabe /
MONTREAL GAZETTE

Cover up

Like us, plants can find the wind and cold hard to handle, especially younger plants. To protect shrubs from snow damage, tie up branches with jute twine. You can use wooden stakes to give a structure to your barrier and then wrap that with burlap. For new plantings, wrap the shrub in burlap and tie with twine for protection from wind and snow.

“When it comes to roses, I recommend to actually dig them up and bury them in late fall, and dig up in early spring,” Scheunert said.

Tanguay agrees that snow can be the most damaging to plants and shrubs.

“It is important to tie plants, but not too tight, that have been recently planted as they are more susceptible to the elements,” Tanguay said. “But as the plants mature, I only tie the ones that I know will be hit with extra weight because they are close to the house or driveway where more snow will accumulate.

“No matter what, I tie boxwoods,” he said. Boxwoods, the dense evergreen shrubs that are used in more formal landscapes, are delicate for the Montreal climate, he said, “but people love them. I must have installed thousands of boxwoods over the years.”

Steph Tanguay examines a hosta at his Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue home. âEven after all this time working with various gardens, I consult a horticulturalist regularly for my own garden,” the West Island landscaper says. (Peter McCabe / Montreal Gazette)Peter McCabe /
Montreal Gazette

Pruning

As a general rule, if you don’t prune before the first frost, do not prune at all. It is best to consult an expert on what to prune just before the frost.

“There are certain plants that should be cut back in the fall — late September, October and November — and cut again in the spring,” Tanguay said. “That is how you get the most growth. Some need to be pruned after blooming, like a lilac tree. If you prune after the bloom, you will get more flowers next year.”

A visit from a horticulturalist can help you understand what plants you have, what they need and when they need it.

“Even after all this time working with various gardens, I consult a horticulturalist regularly for my own garden and engage one at Concept72 for all our projects,” Tanguay said.

Weed

Get rid of weeds before they seed and spread. After the first frost, get rid of any dead flowers as well. This will make cleanup easier next summer. Weeds that are left behind are messy to clean up in the spring, but will not cause any damage if left for the winter.

“Tidy up and weed one last time, so the garden is ready for spring,” Scheunert recommended. “Do some prep work now, and it will save time come spring.”

Tanguay says weeding in the fall, for the most part, is esthetic.

“Though there is no damage to a hosta that has not been trimmed in the fall,” he said, “it can be a yucky job to clean them up in the spring. Same goes for dandelions and clover: they won’t cause any damage, but it is easier to deal with it before the frost.”

Bulbs

Delicate bulbs like dahlias, elephant ear, taro and windflower need to be gently removed from the soil, placed in paper bags and stored in a cool, dry place. Unlike hardy bulbs, which require a period of cold in order to bloom, these tender bulbs can’t handle the cold and need to be dug up, stored and protected in colder climates. Scheunert recommends storing some tender annual bulbs like cannas, caladium and begonias in a slightly moist peat mixture through the winter in the basement and then planting them come spring.

Tulips, daffodils, hyacinths and crocus bulbs are considered hardy and need to be planted in September or October when the soil temperatures have cooled.

Smart bulb planting starts at the garden centre with high-quality bulbs. Look for those that are plump and firm. It’s typically best to avoid bulbs that are soft and mushy or have mould growing on them. Also look for big bulbs; the bigger they are, the more they generally bloom compared with smaller bulbs of the same variety.

Planting bulbs now provides a jump-start in spring when the snow has made its final appearance and we are ready for the bright colours.

Soil

The best way to make your garden easier to maintain is to choose the right plant for the right area right from the start.

Knowing your soil is important to a healthy garden. Depending on your soil and location, each plot of ground has its own blend of minerals, organic and inorganic matter, which largely determines what crops, shrubs or trees can be grown successfully.

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